Skin wound healing compositions and methods of use thereof

Abstract

A wound healing composition comprising an amount of heat shock protein effective to promote wound healing and a method thereof to apply the composition. A preferred heat shock protein is either full-length hsp90α or the middle domain plus the charged sequence of hsp90α. The composition is topically applied to skin wounds, covering the outer surface of the wound. The heat shock protein acts by promoting migration of both human epidermal keratinocyte and dermal fibroblasts to the wound in order to close, heal, and remodel the wound.

1. A wound healing composition comprising:
 an isolated polypeptide fragment comprising the middle domain and the charged sequence of hsp90α, wherein the isolated polypeptide fragment does not comprise the N-terminal ATP-binding domain or the C-terminal C′ domains of hsp90α, in a therapeutically effective amount to promote wound healing in a patient in need thereof; and 
 a pharmaceutical medium to carry the polypeptide fragment. 
 
     
     
       2. The wound healing composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the amount of polypeptide fragment is from about 0.1 μg/μl to about 100 μg/μl in said pharmaceutical medium. 
     
     
       3. The wound healing composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the amount of polypeptide fragment is from about 0.3 μg/μl to about 50 μg/μl in said pharmaceutical medium. 
     
     
       4. The wound healing composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the polypeptide fragment contains 394 amino acid units. 
     
     
       5. The wound healing composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the polypeptide fragment is from about 38 Kdaltons to about 54 Kdaltons. 
     
     
       6. The wound healing composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical medium is at least one selected from the group consisting of: an aqueous solution, suspension, dispersion, salve, ointment, gel, cream, lotion, spray or paste.